Thursday, 12 August 2010

Metallic yarns are by and large made from strips of a synthetic film, such as polyester, coated with metallic particles. In one more method, aluminum foil strips are sandwiched amid layers of film. Metallic yarns may also be made by twisting a strip of metal around a natural or man-made core yarn, producing a metal surface. It is made of thin film and supported by nylon or polyester or rayon yarn according to the type of yarn.
Metallic yarns start as rolls of films or laminations 30" or wider. These wide rolls are slit into narrow rolls 2" to 5" wide. These narrow rolls are gang slit across their whole width to micro widths from 1/128" (.0078") and wider and then taken up on plastic spools for shipment to textile mills. There is a rainbow of colors available from red, blue, green, etc. to gold and silver. Brilliant, reflective colors which add decorative patterns to fabrics.
Many metallic yarns knitted into fashionable Raschel and Jacquard fabrics . For added variety, metallic yarns are twisted with other fibers such as wool, nylon, cotton and synthetic blends to construct yarns which add novelty effects to the end cloth or trim. They create all fabrics more eye-catching by adding sparkle.
At one time or another, metallic yarns have been used in just about every variety of textiles. Metallic Yarn is used in manufacturing knitting wears, knit and woven fabrics, embroideries, labels etc. Some end uses have been in automotive fabrics, television front fabrics, bath towels and face cloths, clerical vestments, bathing suits, hosiery, upholstery, hat bands, etc. Also in theatrical clothing, theatre back drops, doll clothing, banners and uniforms.

Care of Fabrics with Metallic Yarns;Specialized dry cleaning with perchlorethylene is favored to laundering. Hand laundering with Woolite and cold water is the only suggested laundering method. Never launder with bleach. Fabrics containing metallic yarns should be treated like all synthetic fabrics. Ironing should be at the lowest setting on the iron. If there is no thermostat on the iron, do not use that iron. Do not use steam when ironing

There are many different types of metallic yarn used for warp knitted fabrics produced on Raschel and Jacquard machines, such as ladies outwear , including yarns made entirely of metallic fibers, yarns with a metallic coating, yarns with metallic thread plies spun together with other fibers, and yarns composed of natural or synthetic fiber with small flecks of metallic material visible in the skin.

When choosing a metallic yarn, a fabric designer should consider how much of a metallic shine yarn she/he wants to have. Some yarns that contain metal are stiff and not very soft to the touch, so the desired texture of the finished product is also something to consider when making a yarn selection. Generally, as with all types of yarn, the choice of metallic yarn often depends on what type of project will be made with the yarn.

Some metallic yarns have a great deal of shine, particularly those that contain gold, silver, or aluminum. Aluminum is a common modern day substitute for more expensive gold and silver. Other types of metallic yarn may not have as much shine, such as yarn that contains stainless steel. Yarns with steel content are often similar to wire, as they have memory and will retain whatever shape they are molded into unless they are straightened out again. If a fabric designer wants her finished project to be sparkly, the best choice is probably a yarn flecked with small pieces of silver, gold, or aluminum.

While some types of metallic yarn have a slick, smooth surface, others can be somewhat scratchy or prickly to the touch. This is particularly true of yarns that contain a single filament of metallic fiber in a blend with other fibers. These yarns are probably not the best choice for projects like scarves, or any other garment or accessory that sits close to sensitive areas of skin. On the other hand, yarns that are composed with a metallic outer coating or a core of metal with a plastic coating may be slippery, which can increase the incidence of accidentally dropped stitches, particularly in a project that has a complex stitch pattern.

Yarn weight, or the thickness of individual yarn strands, is another important consideration when choosing a metallic yarn for warp knitting fabrics. When knitting or crocheting a fitted garment, it is important that the fabric designer achieves the gauge, or number of stitches per inch, suggested by her pattern. Gauge is affected by the size of the knitting needles or crochet hook used, and by the weight of the chosen yarn. Therefore, metallic yarn should be as close in weight as possible to the yarn suggested by a specific garment pattern.